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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Life at Mission Control

Derek left for Argentina last weekend to attempt a new route
on San Lorenzo in the Patagonia Mountain Range. If all goes according to
the plan, he and his partners will reach the base of the mountain today. Before
he left, he gave me a Beta Packet with all the information I could possibly
need to know while he’s gone.

His preparations for this trip were intense. Derek created
detailed packing lists for himself and his partners, researched the area
thoroughly to come up with the best plan of action, helped make arrangements
for food and supplies, bought gear, trained non-stop, and frequently escaped my
rather pointed questions about a trip budget…

My preparations for his trip included learning how to send
the guys coded weather reports (I'm Mission Control) and preparing myself emotionally for the big
deal that this trip is. It’s not every day that my husband disappears in the
mountains for weeks at a time to traverse dangerous terrain with little to no
communication with the outside world if something terrible were to happen. Okay,
that actually happens every month or so, but this is the first time it will
happen in a foreign country.

My typical method of preparing myself emotionally is
to go running, where I can think through situations until I am so physically exhausted that I can finally turn my brain off. Unfortunately, prior to this trip I’d been healing from stress
fractures in my feet, and I had to resort to another tactic - talking.

So, for your enjoyment, here is how some of that talking went.
This conversation happened around the time that Derek gave me the Beta Packet…

Me: I need to know how long I need to wait before assuming
you are in need of a rescue or dead before I take action.

Derek: Well it's not like you could do anything if we needed
a rescue, so just assume we're dead if we don't come back.

[I stare at Derek, he looks smug]

Me: Okay, but how long should I wait?

Derek: What? Why? It's not like you have a life insurance
policy on me.

Me: Yes, I do.

Derek: ... What?

Me: Yeah, I got one three months ago.

[he stares, I look smug]

Derek: ... Oh...

Me: So, how long should I wait?

Derek: Umm... I guess December 1st?

Me: What? No, I don't want to wait that long.

Derek: We're not supposed to get back until November 30th!!

Me: I want my money.

[I still look smug]

Yep. I'm emotionally prepared all right. And I think Derek will think twice before stressing me out like this again anytime soon :) Happy Saturday Y'all!